1
as in excellence
exceptionally high quality
a shop selling native handicrafts of distinction
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Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in advantage
a quality that gives something special worth
has the distinction of being the oldest house in the city
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3
as in accolade
public acknowledgment or admiration for an achievement
I did all of the work, and the other guy got all the distinction
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4
as in dominance
the fact or state of being above others in rank or importance
a number of physicians of national distinction serve on the staff of the teaching hospital
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5
as in award
something given in recognition of achievement
won a number of distinctions in her long career as an actress
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6
as in difference
the quality or state of being different
the distinction between the two photographic prints escapes me
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7
as in separation
the state of being kept distinct
the distinction between liberty and license is often violated in today's freewheeling society
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of distinction
Legislatures draw distinctions between people and situations all the time.
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The Editors, National Review, 5 Dec. 2024
Looking back on Season One’s music, Mako draws a distinction between how much more ambitiously weird Season Two became.
—Cecilia Ciocchetti, Rolling Stone, 3 Dec. 2024
Zoom in: OpenAI, like most AI providers, makes a strong distinction between business customers and general consumers.
—Ina Fried, Axios, 2 Dec. 2024
The report says the couple repeatedly benefitted from The Captain Tom Foundation by blurring the distinction between its interests and theirs, said Jan Moir in the Daily Mail.
—The Week Uk, theweek, 30 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for distinction 
The Editors, National Review, 5 Dec. 2024
Looking back on Season One’s music, Mako draws a distinction between how much more ambitiously weird Season Two became.
—Cecilia Ciocchetti, Rolling Stone, 3 Dec. 2024
Zoom in: OpenAI, like most AI providers, makes a strong distinction between business customers and general consumers.
—Ina Fried, Axios, 2 Dec. 2024
The report says the couple repeatedly benefitted from The Captain Tom Foundation by blurring the distinction between its interests and theirs, said Jan Moir in the Daily Mail.
—The Week Uk, theweek, 30 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for distinction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distinction
Noun
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The Royal National Theatre, symbol of Britain’s theatrical excellence, offered her the part of the Blue Fairy in a try-out musical production of Pinocchio, which Dennis Kelly adapted from Carlo Collodi’s tale and Disney’s 1940 classic.Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
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Horwitz has some power, some speed, and the same hustle and commitment to excellence as Gimenez. Follow me on Twitter.Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took advantage in December 2019, while Ten Hag got the better of the eventual treble winners in January 2023, who at that point were struggling to get up to speed after the Qatar World Cup.Sam Lee, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024
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The advantages of investing this way are well documented.Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The Bills know that Allen is playing the best football of his career, with the likely league accolades to follow.Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
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According to Gastineau, Favre took a dive on the record-breaking play, ultimately handing Michael Strahan the accolade.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The mentalist's late night dominance extended to the next generation of talk shows, guesting on several episodes of shows hosted by David Letterman, Howard Stern, and Jimmy Fallon.Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 11 Dec. 2024
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Chinese market share dominance ranges from a low of 70% for cathodes up to 85% for anodes.Steve Banker, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
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This becomes even more evident from the haul of awards Hunter has picked up.Thomas Schlachter, CNN, 15 Dec. 2024
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The wide receiver and lockdown cornerback dominated on both sides of the ball for coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes, joining late running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994 as the only players in school history to take home college football’s most prestigious individual award.Mike Fitzpatrick, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Changing Hands Still, there is a big difference between getting a new set of house keys and the password to an Instagram account.Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 11 Dec. 2024
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In theory, the Dodgers’ brand connections in Japan developed over the past few months could help Sasaki cash in off-field to make up whatever difference there would be.Fabian Ardaya, The Athletic, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Indeed, the process of separation was emotionally painful, but the act of living through a strained relationship can be equally, if not more, draining.Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
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Elsewhere in the interview, Ferguson underscored a deep belief in the separation of powers, along with the guardrails established to protect it.Brian Fung, CNN, 15 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Education was considered an individual pursuit marked by moral excellency and only the students who did the best in school would have proceeded to higher education.Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2024
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Zurich said the Game Changer Award pays tribute to excellency in the film business with a focus on leaders that not only cherish change and forward-thinking approaches in the business, but also stand for the DNA of what cinema has represented since its invention.Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near distinction
Cite this Entry
“Distinction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distinction. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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